Ireland's Top Ten Hidden Golf Courses - No. 2 (Parkland)

The superb opening hole, Scrabo Tower on the right. It's Index 1.

For the number two parkland in this Top Ten of Ireland's Fairways Less Travelled we're staying in the North, although this one is east, not west.  

And of all the 20 parkland and links courses in this Top 10 list, this club is the least well known. Chances are, you haven't even heard of it. 

Scrabo Golf Club is the Number 2 Parkland. You can win a fourball for the course at the end of this blog.

Golfing Gifts for Christmas 2013

Who wants what for Christmas? Who wants what to give the golfer in his/her life?

For years I’ve struggled with presents for my dad. It’s gardening, golf, jumpers and wine. That’s it. I tend to rotate… or at least I used to. He now has enough jumpers to rival Daniel O’Donnell, although they are somewhat more tasteful.

He’s 82 and he’s not the gardening demon that he once was.

That leaves wine and golf… so this year I’ve bought him a book on how to play golf drunk.

Here are five other golfing ideas:

Top 10 Irish Golf Courses and Summer Rates

The sun has clearly gone to their heads

All this great weather has inspired the Irish to go out and
soak up the nation's stock of ice cream, instead of sun screen. It has also seen our golf courses enjoying the best summer footfall in years. Who wouldn't want to be out on a golf course under these skies.

I saw a K Club offer on the back of the Irish Times yesterday - I use the term 'offer' loosely - and it got me thinking about how much it will cost to play Ireland's best parkland golf courses this sumer. Here are my Top 10.

Hooked STOLEN

Have you ever been to a craft fair? You know, the ones in hotels, shopping centres, schools? Lots of women wandering around looking at locally crafted jewellery, handbags, beauty products, pottery, hats and all that stuff.

Ever notice the husband? The guy who wanders around a few feet behind the wife, head bowed, lost in his own little world, clearly wishing he was anywhere else. Yea, him. Well, he's probably dreaming about golf and this is her payback for all the hours he spends on the course. He knows it, too, which is why he says so little, and spends so much time trying to identify where the fabric in the carpet comes from and wondering why so much of the fluff comes up and sticks to his shoes.

He's a hard animal to distract. If you interrupt him he'll look at you like you just interrupted his swing... which you probably have. And if you bump into him he'll react angrily although he's not quite sure where he is.

Well, one of those guys walked past my wife's stand last weekend, noticed the pile of Hooked books and stole one.

So I have this to say to the thief: firstly, thank you for thinking that my book was worth stealing - I'm honoured; and secondly, may all your tee shots find trouble, may all your putts lip out and may all your rounds be in the 100s. That pretty much covers it.

To everyone else, may all your swings be good ones. And if you want to buy a copy of Hooked, you'll find it in all good Irish book stores (as opposed to the bad ones), or you can get it from dear old Amazon (links are top right).

Bray Gets a Splash of Sunshine

[Photo: A sweeping panorama from the 11th tee at Bray. Wicklow and Dublin Mountains, and the Irish Sea]

Sunshine. Who would have thought we were going to see that again this summer? It was a perfect day for getting out onto a golf course and I hadn't been back to Bray Golf Club in five years. 


Some 30 years ago, I used to catch the bus to Greystones to visit my grandparents. The 84 would climb up the hill out of Bray on its way to Windgates, passing enormous crop fields on the left. They rose steeply up the hillside and when, years later, I heard that Bray were moving their golf club to those very fields, I thought somebody had been too long at the Poitín. But move they did (although the old course, down near Superquinn, is still being played), in 2003, and an impressive job Des Smyth made of it.

[Photo: view back down the par five 6th]

On a sunny morning it is easy to love a course that has views like this. The clouds spun shadows over the Wicklow Mountains that are visible for the entire round, and the quality of the greens here has always impressed me. The course is in great condition too, with the Metropolitan Cup semi-final to be played here on Sunday (against Stackstown).


There is a five year plan in place to make improvements, and some of the early work can be seen around the 18th tee box. There has also been a shift in fairway lines, with the rough being allowed to grow up and close in on fairways. As a balancing measure, the rough around the edges of the greens has been taken away. When these changes were first delivered, members thought it would make the course too easy... but of course removing the rough means that balls can roll off greens and keep going for several feet, down the flanks of the greens. It leaves tricky shots to get up to the pin. Alan Threadgold, the Manager, told me that since the changes scores have gone up.

[Photo: the view of the 18th green and back to the small gap in the trees that you have to play through]

The one thing you have to remember about Bray is that the greens are big and have plenty of undulations. If you don't get it close with one of your little bump and runs up the banks, you'll be two-putting for sure. I picked the par three 2nd as the Toughest Hole, in Hooked, but it looks innocuous from the tee. At 153m you don't expect too much difficulty, but it's Index 5 for a reason. And that reason is the green.


And it's all the tougher when the 1st hole is Index 1 - a par four of 389m.


The full set of 45 Flickr images can be found here.

[Photo: the hole that I suspect Bray would offer as their 'signature' hole - the short par four 11th]

Bray has matured very well in just under a decade and it is well worth a visit. If you're thinking it's too steep, there are only a few climbs (the 10th and 17th), of which most are from green to tee and on the front nine. There's also the extremely comfortable clubhouse.

Lough Erne and heavy metal?

Lough Erne Golf Resort is a big, elegant and glamorous venue. It is only open a couple of years but you wouldn’t know from the exceptionally high maintenance that makes fairways play like carpet and greens flow like silk. And, alongside Old Head, it is the most pampered golf experience you will encounter on the island.

[Photo: the view from the 1st tee of the hotel, clubhouse and lodges]

After our adventures in Rosses Point, Dad and I made it in plenty of time to the outskirts of Enniskillen, and into Northern Ireland. Neither of us had brought Sterling, so we wondered how that would affect things. It is undoubtedly a problem for many visiting golfers (and tourists) who see no border as they pass between south and north.

To enter the resort you drive through the Castle Hume Golf Club (a sister club of sorts, but please don’t play it by mistake) and past the big clubhouse. You cross a bridge and you have arrived. The trouble is, it’s not that easy to figure out what you’ve arrived at. The first building is the hotel and everything has been built to blend together, so you’re not sure if it’s hotel or clubhouse. Keep going. There is then a run of lodges and, tucked in between, you’ll find the clubhouse.

We drove past and kept going, looking for somewhere to park. The place was packed – it was something common to all the clubs we played.

If you like to be pampered and treated like royalty, then the experience starts when you arrive at the check-in desk outside the clubhouse: you will be greeted and welcomed; you will be asked what time you’re playing, whether they can get your buggy, fetch your golf clubs from the car and generally make life easier for you. And all done with genuine friendliness and courtesy. The golf shop is the same – and it’s one of those shops that has everything and is well stocked. The Lough Erne Challenge is prominent and you can buy momentoes of Darren and Rory’s victory over Padraig and Shane. North vs. South. If only all the North’s difficulties could be resolved this way.

[Photo: the walk to the 1st uses a bridge to get you there]

We ate fish & chips in the dining room next door, listening to gentle music drift from the speakers overhead, wondering who had selected the music as it turned to heavy metal. This is not a ‘heavy metal’ type of place. Then again, what golf club is? The menu is good, the food excellent, and you can have Faldo wine if you so choose. We didn’t.

Outside we met Lynn McCool, the Director of Golf and head professional. Her office is just behind the check-in desk and she brought me in to introduce me to Amen Corner.

A red mist descended. There are certain things guaranteed to rile me: clichés like ‘hidden gem’; ‘you’ll use every club in the bag’; and ‘we have an Amen Corner’ are high on the list. There is one Amen Corner, and it’s at Augusta National, Georgia, not in Ballygobackwards where you have a handful of interesting holes that happen to be difficult.

“There,” Lynn said, pointing at the computer screen. Not holes, but courses. On screen were Rosses Point, Donegal and Lough Erne golf clubs. “A perfect triangle,” Lynn said. “Our own Amen Corner.”

[Photo: the approach to the par four 2nd.]

The three clubs form a perfect triangle and they are putting together a special offer to play all three. It’s a novel take on the Amen Corner idea, but it brings together three top class courses: parkland and links.

Now here’s the thing: I’ve had comments about Hooked that I clearly rate links above parkland, and that is true. The reasons are many, but that does not mean I dislike parkland. Far from it. I like it in a different way. You can’t beat the elegance, the trees, rivers and lakes, the soft greens and that easy rhythm.

Lough Erne satisfies on all these fronts, and the long bridge that takes you to the 1st tee is a perfect and unique appetiser.

We had a buggy and I got the distinct impression that the course is designed to be played by buggy, and not by foot. Then again, the course is built in an environmentally sensitive area (signs for bats and otters are evident) and they don’t want people trekking into certain areas where they could do damage. You’ll find this as you leave the 1st green where you have to take the long way round to reach the 2nd tee.

There’s no doubt you can have some fun in the buggy too, and they will have a few damaged vehicles if they’re not careful. The blacktop weaves through the trees on the 2nd hole like a run of chicanes, and one wrong move will send you into a tree. Who said golf wasn’t dangerous.

[Photo: the par five 9th green sits over the water, the halfway house to the right.]

The wind from the morning persisted, adding considerably to the challenges: first, it tunnelled down the early woodland holes, then swept across the hilltop for holes 6 and 7 (where a sign proudly proclaims that Rory was the first person to drive the green 396 yards away – it’s a dogleg), before finding more woodland and lakeland holes to charge along. It gave Lough Erne some teeth. This is a course where shots fall into two categories: relatively easy driving and tricky, dangerous approaches. From the white tees, the course is just 6,241 yards so it’s not long by any means for a Par 72, but those approaches and artful design make you work hard. (There are also blue tees, 6700 yards, and black tees, 7167 yards.)

Our original plan had been for dad to drive and me to play. After three consecutive rounds I thought dad would be happy for the rest. Not a bit of it. There was only one hole he didn’t play because he thought it looked boring (the 12th), and he insisted on playing the 18th which was voted the best par three in the British Isles by Golf World, in May 2010. Two things to point out there: it’s not often you get a new, ultra plush course finishing with a par three; and it is in no way the best par three in Ireland, let alone the British Isles. A fine par three, to be sure, but the best? I think not.

[Photo: the par five 14th shows off the wildness/manicured contrast]

How you view Lough Erne will depend on how you like your parkland golf. Pampered, polished and perfect is the order of the day here. There is drama and beauty, and a wonderful contrast of manicured vs. wild on almost every tee box. Views from 6 and 7 are heart-warming and the Lough is never far away.

[Photo: the par four 10th. Designed for you to go for it]

I only have two requests of you if you visit this premier venue: play off the back tee on 16, which is right beside the 15th green – it is an awesome drive; and have a go at driving the signature hole 10th – it is 294 yards downhill, with the green sitting out in the lake. You’ll probably lose your ball, but oh those bragging rights if you make it!

Carlow Scratch

Carlow GC is rightly regarded as one of the great inland courses of Ireland. It is old (established in 1899) and it is one of the untouched masterpieces – perhaps the last one. Nearby Mount Juliet is the complete opposite in terms of its evolution and I would recommend that you play both courses close together – it will tell you a lot about what kind of parkland golf you like. While Mount Juliet is a manufactured, relatively relaxed golfing adventure, Carlow is a natural beauty that can squash you in a heartbeat. Take the 2nd hole, for example: at just 270 metres (visitors tee) it should be a simple hole, but my two playing partners stepped onto the tees with irons. There are other short holes, but none is easy, and the long holes are brutish for most amateurs. The 7th is a dogleg of 400 metres over a serious rollercoaster fairway, with the green up high and no sign of the putting surface.

[Photo: The brutal par four 7th, Index 1. Rob made par on both visits]

On Sunday July 5th, the Junior Scratch Cup was

played off the back sticks. It made a difficult course that much harder. Mind you, at €25 for 36 holes of golf AND a meal voucher (a very nice lasagne and chips, thank you) no one was complaining – even when the rain started. On the same day, Woodbrook had their Scratch Cup and were charging €50. No contest for where I wanted to be.

I say in several reviews how a golf course ‘flows over the landscape’; nowhere is that more true than Carlow. It is a great experience and my playing partners would certai

nly have woken up on Monday morning with a smile on their face. Jamie Bolger, Carlow GC, is 16 and plays off 5 (he was 9 last year, so his coach must be doing something right. And that’s his dad, Jimmy Bolger, who’s the Pro at Kilkenny); Rob Fitzpatrick, Dunmurry Springs, is in his 30s and plays off 6. Jamie came 3rd and Rob came 6th. I can guarantee you that neither felt they were in with a shout walking off the 36th hole – even though Jamie had just sunk a birdie putt on the par 5 18th – it was the only birdie of the day, for all of us. Not that there weren’t opportunities – the putts just weren’t dropping.

[Photo: Rob contemplates the renowned par four 8th - all down hill and glorious]

Jamie’s performance was an interesting one. His score on the front 9 was identical on both rounds – with two bogeys on the same holes (7 and 9). It was the back 9 that made the difference. In round one, on the short 10th, he dunked his approach shot into the water and walked away with a double bogey. It rattled him and he finished nine over on the back 9 – for a total of 81 (11 over). It didn’t help that the three guys in front of us were very slow and held us up every hole. They finally let us through – on the 18th green!! It was a four hour 20 minute round.

In the afternoon, assuming we were all out of the running, and escaping the clubhouse before the slow threeball, we raced around and the golf was far more relaxed. As we headed up the 16th fairway we saw the three guys behind us walking to the 13th tee. And no, they didn’t let anybody through. So, Jamie played much better golf, and his birdie on 18 brought him back to his handicap. None of us thought he’d be in with a shout, and Rob blew his chances with a triple bogey seven on the 16th. It’s Index 2, 401 metres, and he got stuffed in trees. He then lost his 3rd shot (in the gorse - left of fairway in the photo) and hit a provisional 180 metres uphill, to three feet (so he was there in five). He decided to look for his first, found it, and made a hash of things to walk off with a seven. And he came 6th.

[Photo: The par four Index 2 16th]

I admired Rob greatly – no matter what went wrong he remained 100% calm. Not one tiny bit of annoyance. That triple bogey would have killed me, and after Jamie put his ball in the water early on he went into a funk for a few holes – it undoubtedly cost him 2nd place. It’s easier said than done, I know, but Tiger’s ‘ten pace’ rule is the only way to succeed in golf. Whatever goes wrong you have to brush it off quickly. Me? I’ll miss a putt from three feet and let it fester for the rest of the round. It’s a curse that many golfers carry, and if that includes you, I suggest Bob Rotella’s book: golf is not a game of perfect. At least it will keep you off the course for an extra couple of days.

Carlow is one of the great adventures of Irish golf – perhaps that’s why Johnny Vaughan, the English broadcaster/DJ/entertainer, calls it the best course in the world.

Father's Day Golf Book

A shameless marketing ploy on my part, since I think the book would be great as a Father's Day gift. I'm trying to figure out meta tags and Search Engine Optimisation techniques, to get the book high up the list on Search Engines.

Adare Manor & Golf Resort – A Sawgrass Special

[Adare's infamous and beautiful 18th, where Richard Finch fell in the water on the way to winning the Irish Open]

There are many great ways to play the big courses in this country, and you can often do it for a fraction of the price. You just have to keep your eyes peeled for the offers, or have the nerve to phone up and dictate the terms. I favour the former approach!

Adare Manor & Golf Resort has a great offer on at the moment. And let’s be honest, as Parkland courses go, they don’t get grander or more glamorous than Adare. It was given the highest ranking of any parkland in Golf Digest Ireland’s Top 100 Course Ranking, If you can rustle up three mates and play as a fourball, they have a competition that could see you playing at Adare and then on to Sawgrass in the USA. And all for €75.

I’ve lifted these details from the site:

Adare Golf Club is proud to present The Summer Twilight Sawgrass Golf Challenge
Entry free for a team of four is €75.00 per person
11th May to 28th August 2009
Monday to Friday after 2.00pm

One team will qualify weekly to play in the regional final at Adare Golf Club on 30th August 2009. The qualifying team at the regional final will then go forward to take part in a Grand Final in Sawgrass Golf Resort & Spa on 24th September 2009. This trip includes return flights, accommodation, golf and car hire.

Approved by the R&A for payment of expenses. Rule 4-2g RA/25/2009

Terms & Conditions Apply

Download The Summer Twilight Sawgrass Golf Challenge pdf (go to: http://www.adaremanor.com/sawgrass-golf-challenge)

For further information contact: 00 353 61 605274 or email: golf@adaremanor.com

And good luck.

There are plenty of great courses in this area and, if you happen to be heading for the links courses on the west coast, you’d be making a mistake to pass this beauty by.